Understanding the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” Meme

The “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” meme has been around since 2014, at least, making it quite ancient by meme standards. Memes come and go but this meme still pops up from time to time. So what’s the origin of the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” meme and how is it used? Let’s start by explaining why the meme exists in the first place.

Where the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” Meme Came From and Where It’s Going

In years past you could select a drop-down menu on Facebook to report photographs. One of the options was “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it”. While this feature is no longer offered, it spawned the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” meme. Basically, you could find a photo, select the drop down, select the option “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it”, then snag a screenshot.

The photos normally selected were tongue in cheek. For example, one prominent version of this meme shows a photograph of a male fruit fly with the caption “male fruit flies seek out alcohol when sexually rejected.” Beneath the photo, the user has selected the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” option.

Clearly, the user is not a fruit fly. Yet by selecting “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it”, the user is implying that the same thing applies to them.

This meme became quite popular because anyone could quickly make their own version. A user could find an “unfortunate” photo that he or she is obviously not in, then select the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” option, tying themselves to the subject’s unfortunate fate.

Failed dating efforts, unfortunate accidents, and absurd scenarios were commonly chosen by users. The “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” meme also gave rise to spin off memes.

For example, some users edited the option to state “I’m not in this photo and don’t like it” or “I’m not in this photo and I think I should be.” One user uploaded a photo of a noose hanging from a tree and modified the report options to state “I’m not in this photo and I think I should be.” The dark “gallows” humor implies that the user should hang him or herself.

It’s often hard to say with certainty who created the meme and where it first appeared. Perhaps the most famous early example was on the Men’s Humor Pinterest page. Quite likely, the Men’s Humor staff was inspired after seeing the image elsewhere.

I’m in this photo and I don’t like it popularity:

Either way, the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” meme was quite popular for a few years and would regularly make viral rounds. The meme isn’t as common anymore. This is probably because Facebook has since removed the “I’m in this photo and I don’t like it” report option, so it’s not as easy to make new memes. Further, people are now less familiar with Facebook’s report feature.

Still, every once in a while users come up with a funny new spin on the meme. While we may not see it as often going forward, don’t be surprised if you see this meme in the wild.